All Cancers are not created equal

By now, every Tom Dick and Mariah knows that October is breast cancer awareness month. A lot of noise is made about it on social network. It's the one month the perverts can come out and talk about boobs without seeming like obvious perverts. In the hoopla surrounding it, the real message has been lost. False, inaccurate information being spread, and the people really needing the message, well, ignored.

Breast cancer is just that, until it hits close to home.

"Breast cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer death among women after lung cancer". So it really is serious stuff.

The new ACOG guidelines recommends that all women aged 40 and above should get a yearly mammogram. (Previously it was age 50 and above, with women 45 and up required to get one every 2 years)

That is, we should all ask our mothers if they have gotten mammograms this month, and encourage them to.

ACOG also doesn't stress the idea of self breast exams anymore. Why? Because to be honest, they haven't really been that much useful in detecting breast cancer, and also once you can feel the lump, the cancer has most likely spread. mammograms do a better job at detecting cancer way before you can feel them. Especially if you have massive jugs. Now would be a good time to promote my new DD boobs!

"The College continues to recommend annual clinical breast exams (CBE) for women ages 40 and older, and every one to three years for women ages 20-39. Additionally, The College encourages "breast self-awareness" for women ages 20 and older".

Breast self awareness is women knowing the normal feel and appearance of their breast, so that you can detect changes in your breasts. So what exactly are you looking/ feeling for? 

"Women who experience changes such as lumps in the breast or underarm, dimpling, breast pain, redness or thickening of the nipple or breast skin, or anything else that looks or feels different should quickly report them to their doctor". 

This is not to say that young women do not get breast cancer, (Re:Debbie), but the incidence if breast cancer is particularly low in this age group. As a young woman, your breasts go through a lot of changes, and the most common breast changes (Or disorders, if you will) among this age group is mostly benign (non-cancerous). It's mostly people who have a genetic predisposition to breast cancer or strong family history of breast cancer that might get breast cancer early. 

"Women with a strong family history should talk to their doctor about interventions such as beginning mammography before age 40"

Breast cancer is not a joke - those who have been affected directly/ know someone who have will tell you so. It's not an excuse to make lewd jokes about breasts too...although I came across this video I think you might like. Enjoy! 

Justice for Aluu4: another perspective

My Friday was effectively ruined when I saw pictures of the four boys that were lynched in UNIPORT. I have seen bloodied bodies and all before, but this one was particularly disturbing. I know many people on twitter have said that this is common practice in Nigeria, however for hours I didn't know why I was so disturbed by the pictures/ videos.
On Saturday evening, I watched the video, and I was so shaken, I actually cried. Whether you believe they are guilty or not, we almost ALL agree that what was done to the boys was barbaric.

I finally realized why those pictures affected me the way it did. I read the story on the TL of one of their friends. These boys were from proper homes, obviously well to do families. There was even a picture of one of them on holiday in London, and a recording of their track. Two of them were aspiring rappers. It's not because they were fine boys, it's because they look like people close to me!

They could easily have been my friends or brothers or cousins. I know some of the stories floating around alleged they were cultists, but have you mixed with the wrong crowd before? Have you ever made mistakes in your life? I know many people who will give testimony of a time in their life when they foolishly tried stupid stuff (yahoo-yahoo, cab ja, etc). I know I have.

I watched the video, and I was reminded of Him who suffered the same fate. He was no thief, yet he was beaten the same way, tortured, then made to carry his own instrument of death when it was clear he was near exhaustion.

But they cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!”

Pilate then went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?” They answered and said to him, “If He were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to you.” (John 18:29, 30 NKJV)

Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. (Matthew 27:30 NKJV).

I know we are all clamouring for justice for the #Aluu4, but what about Justice for the one who died for you? I know I would have given my laptop and phones if I knew it would spare those boys' lives.

There are so many things we say as Christians that we don't really visualize. Maybe for this reason, I would actually challenge people to watch the video- as gory as it is, and know that someone took that kind of treatment - if not worse for your sake. The only way you can make his suffering count, and His death not be in vain is to live right.